Anger as another bank is set to close branch in town

BARCLAYS’ plans to close its Porthcawl branch, which would leave the town with just one bank, have been criticised.

Barclays has announced that its John Street branch will close on May 24 because the number of customers using the bank has continued to drop.

But AM Suzy Davies said the closure will not only negatively affect Porthcawl residents, but the thousands of tourists and holidaymakers who visit the seaside town.

Stephanie Dibble, Barclays community banking director, said: “We do not take the decision to close any branch lightly. The way customers undertake their banking is changing as people increasingly use online, telephone and mobile devices.

“At Barclays Porthcawl branch, customer usage has continued to decline (23% in the last 12 months), which is why we have taken the difficult decision to close it.

“We hope that the availability of our other branches at Barclays Bridgend, Bridgend Indus- trial Estate and access to banking services at the local post office currently located at the Spar, 66 John Street, Porthcawl, along with our range of digital channels will help to ease the transition for our customers.”

This is the third bank closure for Porthcawl in two years and will leave the town with just one bank – Lloyds.

Ms Davies said: “People were very unhappy about the closure of the other branches and I know many voted with their feet and moved their business to the two banks that were remaining. Now, one of these has said it wants to close.

“Barclays state that footfall has gone down over the past year but perhaps they need to remember that during this period they have reduced bank opening hours by closing on Wednesdays so there was bound to be a drop in the number of people using the branch.

“Although Porthcawl has a reasonably large population in its own right, the bank may like to remember that during the summer, the population doubles because of the thousands of holidaymakers staying in caravans and hotels locally. Indeed, many of the people at the Trecco Bay site stay for months at a time and do all their business in the town – they even register with doctors.

“Porthcawl is also a major seaside resort which draws in thousands of day trippers. The town needs to offer a full range of facilities to its visitors and residents alike and banking is one of them.

“The banks that have closed argued that alternative provision for many services was available at post offices. But if we look at what happened in Maesteg, which also lost its HSBC and NatWest branches, there has been no increase in resources at the town’s post office to cater for bank customers now trying to do their banking transactions there.”

Mrs Davies will meet managers from Barclays to discuss the closure and ask for a rethink.